In Sydney, Jan Morris, one of the great historians and travelers of our time, penetrates the mysteries and complexities of this seductive city as only she can. Built upon a penal colony, its first citizens British criminals and wardens, Sydney is a city that bears the mark of its hard-knocks history. Morris brilliantly weaves the past out of the present, finding ghosts of the city's rebellious founders in the vibrancy and pluck of today's populace.Imagine a mix of brashness and worldly chic, good humor and jealousy, calm and aggression. Such is Sydney, a wealth of contradiction. One thing is clear, though, and incontrovertible: Here is one of the most visually stunning cities in the world.If Robert Hughes, in The Fatal Shore, gave us the ultimate portrait of Australia as a whole, Jan Morris gives us the ultimate portrait of its spiritual heart, Sydney. Picaresque in its telling of history, and meticulous in its observations of contemporary life, Sydney will enchant readers both familiar and unfamiliar with this young urban center, one of the most important in our global community. Its role in the world economy and international culture will, no doubt, continue to flourish; and we would be wise to take a closer look at this great city of possibilities.